Winter and Summer Chellahs in Kurdish Culture, from Indigenous Knowledge to Traditional Rituals

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Department of Language and Literature, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran.

10.22054/qjik.2026.93723.1504
Abstract
Some numbers have special significance among different ethnic groups, religions, and cultures, and sometimes numbers are part of the identity of customs and traditions and play a role in their perfection or imperfection. The number forty is one of the numbers of interest in local culture and literature. The power of this number has caused some rituals such as Cheleh (big and small), Chehlom (mourning) to be named with it, and the intensity and power of heat, cold, and mourning are explained with it. This number is sometimes part of the name of rituals such as: Chelebor, Chelebori Laklak, Chel BeraSieya Chela is a cheleh, and Galeh is the center of rituals such as: Charchar, Shashela, Heme and Mahme, Se Shash/Shashla Shashu. Employing a descriptive-analytical approach, this study aims to examine the "forty-day periods" of winter and summer (both the "Lesser" and "Greater" intervals) along with their associated rituals as well as the significance of the number forty within the Kurdish calendar and customs; the objective is to document these cultural values while paving the way for cross-cultural comparisons and further research in this field. The method of collecting information is a combination of field, documentary, and library methods.

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Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 21 October 2026